Media distribution systems (e.g., the Rhapsody™ and Rhapsody-to-Go™ services offered by RealNetworks™ of Seattle, Wash.) distribute media content to a client electronic device (e.g., an MP3 player) from a media server. A media distribution system may distribute media content by allowing a user to download media data files and/or receive and process media data streams.
Media distribution systems may allow a user to listen to radio media content, such that individual media tracks are streamed via unicast or multicast to the user (in a fashion similar to that of a traditional radio station). Typically, the tracks included within the radio media content (and the order in which the tracks are rendered by the user or streamed to the user) are often governed by various laws and organizations, such as The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (i.e., the DMCA), the ASCAP (i.e., the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) policies, and the BMI (i.e., Broadcast Music, Inc.) policies. Further provisions under the copyright act may subject the user and/or distributor of the media content to increased royalties if the tracks are provided to the user without restrictions required by such laws.
One way to provide tracks to users while still complying with DMCA restrictions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,813. These and other methods prevent skipping of music in a playlist to ensure compliance with the DMCA, but do not provide for using a server generated radio station playlist when a device is un-tethered from a network.